03 Mar 41 Iron Rich Foods list – Indian Vegetarian Source

Iron Deficiency is very common in India, Usually there are more than 10 million (1 crore) cases per year. Iron is of the most vital minerals which is needed to keep your health and lifestyle well. Iron is responsible in making hemoglobin, which helps the blood cells to carry oxygen all around the body. So you can guess the importance of this mineral.

Iron rich food items are a necessity in this case for the increase in iron content in your body, to help prevent the various disorders and problems caused by iron deficiency.

How much iron do we need daily?

Least Iron requirements per day vary according to your gender and age. For instance, the daily requirements of iron in milligrams (mg) per day are:

For infants (7- 12 months): 11 mg

For children (1- 8 years): 7- 10 mg

For males: 8 mg (11 for 14- 18 years of age)

For females: 18 mg

For pregnant women: 27 mg

For lactating women: 9 mg

33 High Iron vegetarian Food Items

Most of the foods we Indians eat have some iron content but there are few foods which contain high content of iron, I am listing all those high iron sources here.

1. Bran Flakes

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Being 100% complete in the daily recommended intake of iron content and a top iron rich food, bran flakes help in treating major iron problems such as fatigue, shortness of breath and strange cravings. It also helps in providing additional energy to the athletes to perform better, also due to the high iron content present in bran flakes.

Health Benefits– Apart from the iron content, bran flakes are also rich in dietary fiber, which helps in keeping you satiated and loses weight. The magnesium and folate content present in bran flakes help in regulating blood pressure and slows down aging respectively.

According to a survey conducted by Kellogg’s, a number of Irish women suffered from bloating and digestive issues, which can be cured by eating high fiber intake, such as in bran flakes.

2. Corn flakes

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- The iron content present in cornflakes help in maintaining blood pressure levels, and also in forming hemoglobin, which is helpful in transferring oxygen through blood in the body, also keeping the brain healthy and alert.

Health Benefits– The folate content helps in the formation of new cells and also protecting the heart health. It also contains protein which is helpful in repairing body tissues and in the formation of new muscles.

Cornflakes also help in losing weight by keeping you full for long. According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, cornflakes can help in reducing weight due to consumption of fewer calories throughout the day, by replacing cornflakes with one of your main meals.

3. Whole wheat flour

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- The iron content present in whole wheat flour helps in reducing cravings and treats shortness of breath. Also, it treats almost a great part of your daily recommended intake so that is helpful in reducing headaches, dizziness and fatigue.

Bellow chart explains and compares the daily recommended iron intake for several grains, wheat being in the top three iron rich grains.

Grain (100 Grams)

Iron content (mg)

Amaranth (Ramdana)

12

Whole wheat

11

Oats

10

Quinoa

8

Barley

7

Health Benefits- Indian people main food which contain good iron content. It’s Being rich in magnesium, wheat flour helps in controlling blood sugar levels and preventing type 2 diabetes. It also prevents the formation of gallstones, reduces chronic inflammation and improves metabolism.

4. Wheat bran

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- As discussed about the benefits of bran flakes above, wheat bran helps in similar iron enriched properties. It helps in combating fatigue, shortness of breath and helps in avoiding cravings. It also helps in providing additional energy due to the high iron content present in wheat bran.

Health Benefits- The dietary fiber content in wheat bran helps in preventing constipation and keeping you full for long, hence preventing cravings. It is also helpful in protecting you from various colon diseases and types of cancer such as stomach, breast and gallbladder.

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- The iron content present in soybean makes you stronger and healthier, with eliminating fatigue and lowering dizziness levels. It also provides you energy to improve physical activity and energy levels.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, soybean served as a quality source of iron in vegetarians and resides amongst the top iron rich food.

Health Benefits- Soybean is vegetarian protein rich food along with iron, which helps you in keeping full and building lean muscle mass quickly. This will aid in weight loss and a toned body. It provides healthier hair and nails.

Why do Women need more iron than men?

As we discussed above, men need only 8 mg of iron in a day as compared to 18 mg for a woman. The reason being that women menstruate and lose a huge amount of blood in a month, which can affect the overall count of iron in a woman’s body.

It is also important for a woman due to pregnancy stages. The baby requires iron 6 months after which she is born, which uses up the stored iron taken from her mother, and hence a woman should increase her iron consumption.

Also, the important factor that iron makes hemoglobin and is required for your body and brain to function well. These are the reasons why women require more iron than men.

6. Sesame seeds

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Sesame seeds are packed with iron within a small fist of these wonderful seeds. It helps in treating dry and brittle nails and hair, and also in treating paleness of skin. Again, it helps in treating fatigue.

Health Benefits- The phosphorus and calcium content present in sesame seeds help in protecting bone health and provide stronger bones. It also improves oral health and teeth. It also prevents diabetes and reduces inflammation.

7. Puffed rice

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- The iron content in puffed rice helps in relieving you of the brittle nails and makes them stronger. Also, you can achieve stronger bones and teeth.

Health Benefits- Being light in texture and volume, puffed rice can help in improving your digestive system. The high dietary fiber content also helps in keeping you full for long and combats constipation. The antioxidant content in puffed rice also helps in developing your immunity system.

8. Amaranth (Ramdana, Rajgiri)

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- The iron content present in amaranth helps in treating anemic patients, along with reducing fatigue, weakness and also helps in providing a lot of energy for the patients suffering from anemia.

Health Benefits-According to studies, amaranth seeds contain phytochemical compounds which are beneficial in reducing the chances of cancer. It also suggested that amaranth oil could help in treating and preventing cardiovascular diseases.

9. White beans

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- White beans do not particularly treat any one problem associated with iron deficiency, but treats the overall problems as discussed many a times such as nausea, fatigue, weakness, paleness and brittle nails, amongst others.

Health Benefits- The dietary fiber content present in white beans helps in aiding digestive issues, keeps you full for long and reduces cravings, which helps in keeping off your body weight as well. The protein content also helps in maintaining hair and nails, along with building lean muscle mass which can help you in losing fat rapidly.

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- According to USDA data, whole- leaf spinach or frozen and chopped spinach has less amount of iron than raw, fresh spinach leaves. The iron content in spinach helps in treating paleness, headaches, cravings, and is also suggested to eat by women during pregnancy.

Health Benefits- It comes in one of the best weight loss foods.This Vegetable is a good source of iron also Spinach is rich in Vitamin A, which is an essential nutrient for maintaining healthy hair and skin, along with preventing certain eye disorders at an old age. It also helps in lowering down blood pressure and the Vitamin K content helps in keeping bone health well.

11. Mushrooms

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Certain types of mushrooms provide more iron than other kinds. For instance, oyster mushrooms have double the iron content as compared to shiitake or Portobello mushrooms. The iron content in mushrooms prevents the common iron deficiency problems such as fatigue, nausea and headaches.

Health Benefits- Another iron rich vegetable. Antioxidants such as selenium help in preventing certain types of cancer and also in releasing the inner toxins from the body. Vitamin B2 and B3 also help in maintaining healthy red blood cells and improving digestive and nervous systems, respectively.

12. Kidney beans (Rajma)

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Consumption of kidney beans on a regular basis helps in maintaining heart health and keeps it well functioning. It also helps in raising the hemoglobin levels and reduces paleness.

Health Benefits- Protein and dietary fiber present in rajma helps in keeping your hair and nails healthy, and improves your digestive system, respectively. These are also helpful in maintaining a healthy body weight, that’s why they used much in vegetarian weight loss diet. The manganese content also helps in keeping your bone health strong.

13. Chickpeas (Chole)

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Chickpeas in general helps in treating anemia, with lowering down its symptoms, and treating common iron deficient problems such as paleness, headaches, soreness of mouth and strange cravings.

14. Rice (white)

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- White rice helps in treating several iron deficiency related issues such as iron related pregnancy issues, anxiety, cold feet and hands, and also other infections which can arise due to iron deficiency.

Health Benefits- Another base Indian food which contain good iron. The nutrients present in white rice helps in improving metabolism and immune system altogether. It also helps in preventing Alzheimer’s disease.

Possible problems due to iron deficiency

The most common problem faced due to iron deficiency is weakness and fatigue. You feel tired all the time, even though you eat full meals or sleep well. You may also face with the problem of anemia, which is the disease caused due to iron deficiency, in which your hemoglobin count reduces, which is quite a low number.

Another common problem faced due to the lack of iron is anxiety, cold hands and feet, strange cravings, mouth ulcers, brittle nails, hair loss, damaged skin and hair, paleness and shortness of breath.

In extreme situations, you can also face stomach ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding. If it is too serious, you could face the extreme, which is heart failure. Hence, it is important for you to consume the recommended iron intake per day.

15. Roasted chana

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- According to a famous sports nutritionist and dietician, roasted chana can help in increasing hemoglobin count and preventing anemia altogether. It also gives you extra energy levels, which is useful in combating fatigue and weakness due to iron deficiency.

16. Dried apricot

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- According to a comparison, dried apricots stood second in the place of top 10 raw fruits when their iron content was compared. Dried apricots help in building up hemoglobin level and reduce paleness of skin and brittleness of hair.

Health Benefits- Potassium content in dried apricots helps in lowering hypertension and also in maintaining a healthy blood pressure. Vitamin A helps in maintaining healthy eyes.

17. Cashew

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- The most common iron deficient problems are cured with the help in cashew nuts such as weakness, headaches, anxiety and fatigue.

Health Benefits- Cashew helps in fighting the build-up of microbial infections in the body and also in preventing the formation of gallstones. The magnesium content present in cashew also helps in maintaining healthy bone health.

18. Whole wheat pasta

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- A number of iron related problems are treated with the consumption of whole wheat pasta such as anxiety, anemia and cold feet and hands.

Health Benefits- This weight loss friendly food is famous as dinner option.Manganese content present in whole wheat pasta helps in building your immunity system along with preventing bone related problems. The protein content also helps in muscle and tissue repair and recovery.

19. Macaroni

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Some specific iron related problems are treated through the consumption of macaroni such as anxiety, nausea, paleness and shortness of breath.

Health Benefits- Manganese content present in whole wheat pasta helps in building your immunity system along with preventing bone related problems. The protein content also helps in muscle and tissue repair and recovery.

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Black eyed peas can help in increasing hemoglobin count and preventing anemia altogether. It also gives you extra energy levels, which is useful in combating fatigue and weakness due to iron deficiency.

Health Benefits- Protein content helps in building, repairing and recovering muscles and tissues. Lentil soups also use widely as a filer nighttime food.

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Black gram can help in increasing hemoglobin count and preventing anemia altogether. It also gives you extra energy levels, which is useful in combating fatigue and weakness due to iron deficiency.

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Mung beans help in lowering down fatigue levels and providing energy levels throughout the day. It prevents nausea and paleness.

Health Benefits- The antioxidant content present in mung beans helps in preventing certain types of cancer and also in releasing toxins from the body. Also sprout mung salad is low calorie nutritional source, which is best for weight watchers.

23. Flaxseeds

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Flaxseeds do not particularly treat any one problem associated with iron deficiency, but treats the overall problems as discussed many a times such as nausea, fatigue, weakness, paleness and brittle nails, amongst others.

Health Benefits- Widely used as weight loss remedy, contain healthy fat which is beneficial for heart health and reducing inflammation. Also rich in certain Vitamins, flaxseeds help in maintaining healthy weight, hair and skin.

24. Sunflower seeds

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- The iron content present in sunflower seeds help in fighting anemia, weakness, shortness of breath, fatigue and improves your immunity system. You can check the table here to compare the iron content present in several seeds, with sunflower seeds in many forms.

Seeds (1 oz/ 28gram)

Iron (mg)

Pumpkin Seed (Roasted)

4.18

Sesame Seed (Tahini)

4

Lotus Seeds

0.99

Watermelon Seed

2.04

Hazelnuts

1.24

Health Benefits- The Vitamins present help in improving your immune and nervous systems and the Omega-6 element keeps your heart healthy. Sunflower seeds also keep you away from cardiovascular diseases. That’s why every balanced diet chart, uses these seeds in their plans.

25. Sweet Potato

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- The iron content present in sweet potatoes help in the production of red and white blood cells and hemoglobin. It also reduces stress and builds your immune system.

Health Benefits- Being rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C, sweet potatoes help in protecting your eye health and maintain the elasticity of your skin, respectively. It also helps in maintaining bone health.

Most common reasons for Iron Deficiency

We all know that if your do not consume enough iron in a day in your diet, the possible problems could occur. So the primary cause or reason of iron deficiency is a major lack of iron in your food diet.

Another reason may be heavy loss of blood, which is extremely common in women due to their menstrual cycles. This could lead to the overall lowering down of iron content in your body.

Also, pregnancy in women requires a lot of iron absorption, for their offspring. Another important reason maybe the inability of your body to absorb iron. It is usually due to any problem faced by your small intestine.

If you are suffering from celiac disease or any other similar problems, your body loses the inability to absorb iron and hence you face lack of iron.

26. Oatmeal (Quaker)

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Oatmeal iron helps in producing new red blood cells along with the formation of hemoglobin. It prevents fatigue, nausea and helps in treating anemia.

Health Benefits- Dietary fiber content in oatmeal keeps you full for long, maintains body weight, lowers down blood sugar levels and improves digestive issues, and hence is recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Zinc helps in preventing heart diseases and also in preventing cancer.

Health Benefits- According to the chart shown here, peanuts are high in protein and fat as well. So it is advised to consume peanuts in a moderate amount. It also has antioxidant properties, which helps in treating certain types of cancer.

Penut Butter – Its used as Muscle building protein food, most of the protein rich diets include this, as only 2 tbsp have around 9.4g protein, which is 19% protein of daily need.

29. Pistachio

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- The iron content present in pistachio treats a number of common iron deficient problems such as nausea, low energy levels, and brittle nails.

Health Benefits- It helps in building metabolism, reduces the risks of heart strokes, fights digestive issues such as constipation, improves skin health and improves the functioning of your immune system.

Spices

30. Cumin seeds

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Consuming cumin can help in preventing low energy levels and also in keeping you away from fatigue. Since iron also helps in keeping your heart healthy, consumption of cumin seeds can help in preventing heart failure.

Health Benefits- Jeera Water is best known to improve digestive issues such as gas, constipation or bloating and maintain weight.

31. Turmeric

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- The iron content in turmeric helps in preventing heart failure, and also keeping it healthy for long, if consumed on a regular basis. It also boosts energy levels which prevents fatigue.

Health Benefits- Turmeric tea has antioxidant properties, which releases toxins from the body and fights cancer. The curcumin content present in turmeric also helps in fighting inflammation.

32. Fennel seeds

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Fennel seeds consumption help in preventing fatigue and raises your energy levels. The iron content present in this food item also help in keeping a regular functioning of the heart.

Health Benefits- Fennel seeds water are also known to aid digestion and reducing weight. Apart from that, fennel seeds are helpful in reducing bloating and improving eyesight.

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- According to the chart here, you can see how the iron content in turnip greens is much higher than its other nutrients. The iron content present in it helps in forming red blood cells and hemoglobin.

Health Benefits- Vitamin K content present in turnip greens helps in improving bone health and also in preventing osteoporosis. The Vitamin A content in it helps in improving skin health and protecting eye health.

Almond milk – Approx 230 ml of almond milk, only have 40 calories, rich in nutrition’s like calcium, Vitamin e and D, also low in fat, which makes it great food for Low calorie Indian diet for weight loss.

35. Dates

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- The iron content in dates helps in relieving you of the brittle nails and makes them stronger. Also, you can achieve stronger bones and teeth. It also helps in preventing anemia.

Health Benefits- Dates help in improving heart health with diminishing the risks of heart strokes. It also prevents digestive related issues such as diarrhea and constipation. It reduces blood pressure and improves respiratory health.

How to Increase the Absorption of Iron from Foods

Increasing iron absorption from food can be a bit of attention to detail. You need to keep track of your overall diet for it. Firstly, time your meals according to the nutrition they carry. For instance, if you eat calcium- rich food for breakfast, do not combine it with an iron- rich food.

It is because calcium absorption can slow down the absorption of iron, and hence should be separately consumed with separate meals. Secondly, you can pair Vitamin C and iron together. Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron by 20%, and also inhibits the absorption of phytates and polyphenols, which slow down the absorption of iron.

Health Benefits- Cocoa powder has antidepressant properties which helps in elevating your mood when you are depressed or tired. It’s used mostly in Protein shakes in weight loss diets. It also contains antioxidants which clears your inner body from toxins and protects you from cancer.

37. Raisins

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Consumption of raisins can help in providing energy levels and boosts physical activities. It keeps fatigue levels low and helps a lot if you consume it during your fitness regime.

Health Benefits- The presence of polyphenolic antioxidants helps in eliminating free radicals from the body and also in preventing cancer. It also helps in reducing hypertension and controlling diabetes.

39. Dark chocolate

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Dark chocolate is one of the tastiest healthy food options, also rich in iron content. Eating a piece of dark chocolate a day can help in preventing fatigue at greater levels. Also, it helps in keeping you active with the provision of energy levels.

Health Benefits- Dark chocolate has antidepressant properties which help in elevating your mood when you are depressed or tired. It also contains antioxidants which clears your inner body from toxins and protects you from cancer. It also helps you in losing weight.

40. Beetroot

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- Beetroot helps in treating several iron deficiency related issues, one of the main being the anemia. Also, it treats shortness of breath and prevents dizziness.

Health Benefits- Beetroot is good vegetable source of iron also helps in protecting heart and liver health. It promotes brain health, increases energy levels and fights inflammation. It is also useful in improving digestive health.

41. Strawberries

Iron Deficiency Issues Cured- It helps in the formation of hemoglobin and treats paleness and iron related pregnancy issues.

Health Benefits- Vitamin C helps in absorption of the iron content in the blood which is useful in promoting the recovery of iron deficient problems. It also helps in maintaining skin health. Being rich in antioxidants, it is helpful in eliminating harmful radicals and in losing weight.

Foods to Avoid – which inhabit iron absorption

As I notified you above, calcium rich food items can inhibit the absorption of iron, such as milk and other dairy items. If you avoid calcium rich food, or food lower than 50 mg in calcium content, iron absorption would not be affected. Also, food rich in oxalates can block iron absorption, such as tea.

Do not consume tea with iron- rich food. I also mentioned phytates in the above paragraph, which is another substance which inhibits the absorption of iron in your diet. Phytates are usually contained by walnuts, almonds, sesame, cereals, and whole grains, which should be avoided along with iron- rich food.

You should also avoid eggs for its protein content and cocoa and coffee for its polyphenol content, all responsible for blocking the absorption of iron.

Do you need Iron Supplements?

Iron supplements are a common commodity for those who cannot increase their iron consumption up to the daily recommended iron intake, or those who are suffering from anemia. It is recommended that you consume 8 oz of water along with your iron supplement, and only on an empty stomach.

The usual dosage is 50- 100 mg of elemental iron supplements three times in a day, only if you suffer from anemia. If you want to consume iron supplements for normal health well- being, it is 8 mg for men and 18 mg for women.

At times, you can face side effects due to the iron supplements, such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and hence you should consult your physician before commencing the consumption of iron supplements.

NOTE - Friends, I am not dietitian or Doctor, I write information here on the basis of my own 25 kilo weight loss experience and sometimes from online research. Please take doctor advice before applying any tip, as each and every human body is different.

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About Me

Hi, I am Seema, mother of two Naughty and Beautiful kids. I love trying new recipes and finding Kitchen hacks. From january 2016, i am trying to lose weight and successfully lost 28 kg, my aim is reducing 30 kilo. Here in this blog, I am sharing all my experience. By god grace, hope this Dream comes true soon 🙂